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Monday, April 15, 2013

An article published in "NEUROLOGY" journal in 2012 points to a link between parental migrane and colic in babies. Parents suffering from migrane were more likely to have babies with colic. Migrane, just like colic is likely triggered by vasoactive substances present in the body in unbalanced quantities. In some adults migrane manifests in not only severe headache, but also in abdominal cramping - just what appears to be happenning in colici babies. This article indirectly support use of vasoactive compounds, such as anethole, a component of fennel seed oil, used to formulate Pediacalm, colic remedy from Lev Laboratories, to treat baby colic.

Thursday, July 12, 2012

Current recommendation on the dose of vitamin D of 400 units daily for children living far away from the equator (Europe, USA, Canada) will certainly be changed. More research is indicating that low blood level of vitamin D is associated with large number of otherwise unrelated diseases and conditions. The most recent data shows that low level of vitamin D in the blood of children at the age of one year is associated with higher level of food allergies. Thr incidence of food allergies among children living close to the equator and having sufficient exposure to ultraviolet radiation was almost 4 times lower than in children living in temperate climate. Waiting for recommendations to increase the daily dose of vitamin D does not make sence - it may take years to be approved and published.

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Brain (cerebral) concussions, otherwise called "mild traumatic brain injuries" in children are attracting more attention these days due to proliferation of research in this area.
Concussions can lead to long term problems involving cognitive functions - poor memory, attention span, learning and also behavioral changes. Diagnosis of concussion is usually based on a history of trauma and neurological evaluation. Headache, nausea, vomiting, poor balance, dizziness, being dazed are very obvious signs.
Less noticeable problems include sensitivity to light and noise, numbness, feeling tired, slow responses to questions.
Old treatment of brain concussion was physical rest - including bed rest in case of dizziness and vomiting.
Now days in addition to physical rest doctors also advise to have so called "cognitive" rest - the avoidance of all activities that could increase brain metabolic rate and blood flow. The cognitive rest means forgoing video games, board games, and computers, studying, reading as well as avoiding noisy, busy and stressful environments.

Monday, June 18, 2012

Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder can be a devastating problem to control in young kids. It can affect their behavior in school and at home, making it difficult to socialize properly and complete tasks. Today there are many prescription drugs on the market prescribed to kids diagnosed with ADHD, but these medications can come with risky side effects. Psychostimulants such as Adderall, Dexedrine, Desoxyn, Ritalin and Focalin are ADHD medications that have been around the longest. These stimulant medications unfortunately can be referred to as the street drug known as “speed.” While lots of doctors try to claim that these medications are effective for treating ADHD, it is unsettling to know that people actually use these medications illegally for drug use. Furthermore, in about 70% of children with ADHD, these stimulant medications’ effects may not be long lasting, causing the threat of addiction. If you want to treat your child’s ADHD naturally, consider Timeout. It is a proprietary blend of rhodiola and motherwort extracts. These herbs have been studied closely in the treatment of ADHD and can greatly improve ADHD symptoms. This natural treatment does not have any of the side effects traditional stimulant medications come with. It helps to increase mental performance and stabilizes mood. Order Timeout today for a safe and effective natural remedy to help your child control their ADHD symptoms.

Thursday, June 7, 2012

Diarrhea
is not only a very uncomfortable for a child to deal with, but it also
can be a very serious problem leading to dehydration if not treated. One of
the most common causes of diarrhea in infants is rotavirus. New rotavirus
vaccine offers great protection, but just as an old vaccine it can cause life
threatening intestinal blockage called intussusception. Besides,
this vaccine does not protect infants against all other causes of infectious
diarrhea. Conventional treatment of diarrhea is based on rehydration.
Medication to slow down bowel function in infants can lead to life threatening
complications. Lev
Laboratories developed formulation for diarrhea, QuickLyte,
is made up of a mixture of glucose, electrolytes, and tormentil root extract, known for effectively and most important safely reducing diarrhea in infants and adults. This formulation is packaged in
foil-lined packets in powder form that is easily mixed with 8 oz of water. The
tormentil root extract found in our QuickLyte formula
can greatly reduce the severity, as well as the duration of diarrhea. Its
effectiveness has been clinically-proven. Furthermore, QuickLyte works by
improving the electrolyte and water balance in the body, which helps to shorten
the duration of diarrhea. There are no known side effects from QuickLyte, so
you can be sure it is safe for your children. It has a yummy natural fruit
flavor that suits children of all ages! By
using QuickLyte,
you can eliminate the trouble of having to schedule a doctor’s appointment, or
a trip to the E.R. QuickLyte eliminates the stress and anxiety of trying to
treat diarrhea. Try QuickLyte the next time your little one is suffering from
diarrhea and you are sure to see a positive improvement!

Friday, May 25, 2012

Alternative treatments for ADHD can be the best option for some kids struggling with the disorder. Natural remedies for ADHD come with virtually no side effects and are very safe.

Timeout is an alternative treatment made from a proprietary blend of extracts of motherwort and rhodiola combined with syrup water along with natural fructose and stevia to naturally sweeten the mixture. Motherwort and rhodiola have documented, beneficial effects on the Central Nervous system and are completely safe.

The motherwart plant has a calming, sedative effect, as well as anti-anxiety characteristics. This is very helpful in treating ADHD, as being calm really influences the ability to be able to focus. Motherwart has a calming effect that is just as strong as the calming effect felt from the well-known anti-anxiety plant valerian root, but does not come with the possible side effects associated with prolonged use of valerian root.

The other main element in Timeout, rhodiola, is a popular plant used in traditional Eastern medicine, like Tibetan and Chinese medicines, and in Scandinavian and Russian medicines as well.

Rhodiola belongs to the adaptogenic plant category. These plants differ from stimulant plants because their extracts help cells utilize energy with more efficiency by producing energy carrying chemicals, whereas stimulants work by producing cells that consume large amounts of energy. This means that adaptogenic plants like rhodiola help more in the nourishment of the cells, and particularly, with brain cells.

There have been studies showing that rhodiola activates neurotransmitter activity in the Central Nervous system, which may affect the availability of serotonin, norepinephrine, dopamine and acetylcholine in brain cells. Clinical and laboratory research strongly supports the use of rhodiola in treating ADHD. Just a single dose of this plant extract has antidepressant, anti-anxiety and performance enhancing affects. It can also help with learning skills like memorization, and helps in adjusting to stressful environments. And unlike stimulants, rhodiola helps to improve heart function by preventing abnormal heartbeats. This can be attributed to effective energy utilization of the heart cells.

If you’re struggling to help treat a child with ADHD, consider Timeout. Its natural formula is safe and has proven beneficial effects which may be the perfect treatment for a child with ADHD.

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

There are various theories about colic in babies, so there does not seem to be one single cause that medical experts can agree on for colic. Regardless, there is lots of evidence to suggest that colic is caused for different reasons in babies. It seems that when certain possible factors occur simultaneously, babies are likely to experience the colic pain and discomfort.

1. The digestive system in newborns is immature, as it has never processed food before. Therefore, infants’ gastrointestinal system is just learning how to function at birth. The muscles that assist in digestion have not developed the proper rhythm for efficiently pushing food through the digestive tract. In addition, infants do not have a sufficient built up amount of probiotics, or bacterial flora that develops over time to help with digestion. Once babies have built up enough of this bacterial flora, they are likely to outgrow their colic within about their first six months.

2. Also, mothers who are lactating could consumer certain foods containing chemicals or allergens that, for some babies, results in colic symptoms and an upset digestive system. When lactating, trace amounts of elements of cruciferous vegetables and other gas producing foods could be passed to the infant from breast milk, causing bloating and gas for the baby.

3. Finally, it is common for infants to swallow air when crying or eating, which makes their gas and bloating worse. This adds to their discomfort and assists in colic.

It is very likely that because infants have such immature nervous systems, they could easily become overwhelmed when exposed to new and unfamiliar sights and sounds. For these infants who are more overloaded with these new sights and sounds, their fussiness, colic, and difficulty being able to nap or sleep through the night, becomes an issue. Usually, infants have a higher chance of being colicky and fussy if they are exposed to an overwhelming amount of activities, like errands, the television, phones, visitors, etc.

While there is no single cause for colic, this information can be helpful in discovering the causes of a fussy, colicky baby. Read more about the PediaCalm™ - Baby Colic Remedy.

About a century ago, ADHD was considered a disorder, which caused unruly behavior and hyperactivity, mostly observed in boys. Then, it was noticed that in children recovering from the viral brain infection known as encephalitis, attention dysfunction and conduct behavior issues were frequently occurring. However, some children who were never diagnosed with encephalitis also showed these kinds of systems and were then labeled to have “Minimum or Minimal Brain Dysfunction.” This title, including other terms, such as, “hyperkinetic syndrome” were given to children before the 1970s, that today we would state as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

Today, about 3-9% of young people in the country have been affected by ADHD. Interestingly, there is about a 3:1 boy to girl ratio with ADHD. While the disorder is usually associated with children, ADHD also affects many adults. It is estimated that about half of all children diagnosed with ADHD do not fully outgrow the disorder, as 3-5% of adults over the age of 20 have the disorder.

In regards to treatment, about 3.5 million adolescents between the ages of 3 and 19 have been subscribed psychostimulant medication. As a child ages, hyperactivity may decrease yet lingering hyperactive symptoms will still affect the child’s life as an adult. Struggling with time management, quality sleep, frustration and self-motivation are some of the symptoms that can affect adults who, was diagnosed with ADHD as children.

Luckily, there is a variety of medications as well as natural, alternative treatments for ADHD available today. It is important to learn about these various treatments and try the ones you feel would be the best options for your child. With the right treatment, ADHD can be effectively controlled and your child can live a normal, healthy life! For more information, visit Timeout – Attention Deficit Remedy

Monday, March 12, 2012

Pediatricians in the United States are seriously concerned over the increasing rates of pertussis and measles among children. For example, the number of cases of pertussis among American children increased three folds in the past 10 years. This trend is attributed to the declining rates of immunization among children. Both, pertussis and measles used to be among the most common causes of death among children prior to introduction of vaccines. It has been estimated that during the past 100 years vaccines saved about 300,000,000 lives worldwide. Collective memories of the horrors of having these diseases, thanks to the vaccines have disappeared. As results, pediatricians have a difficult time convincing parents of the importance of vaccinations. Some parents don’t trust the medical community and think that chances of developing complications following vaccinations are higher than the chances of contracting pertussis or measles and some believe that their children will not be exposed to the infections, expecting others to be vaccinated. Herd immunity is a well know epidemiological phenomenon, which is responsible for the community to be protected for as long as something like 90-95% of the people in the community are immune. If the percentage of immune the population drops to below 90%, the effect of herd immunity disappears. In other words, if everyone in a given community expects everyone else, except themselves to do the right thing, the community has a good chance of loosing the herd immunity effect and exposing children to devastating illnesses. The problem is complicated by the fact that immunity against pertussis is gone by the age of 40 and adults travelling abroad can acquire pertussis and bring it back to their families unknowingly. Pertussis in adults has a mild manifestations and may go undiagnosed and untreated. There are a small number of children for whom, illnesses immunization is contraindicated, this is usually due to some underlying chronic and serious conditions. Ideally these are the children who should rely on herd immunity for their protection.

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

112 children ages 7 to13 months who received commercially available preparation of probiotics named Streptococcus thermophilus, Streptococcus salivarius and Lactobacillus rhamnosus had similar number of ear infections as 112 children who received no probiotic supplementation.This is a disappointing, but not unanticipated finding. Because breast milk contains probiotics and breast milk diet is associated with lower incidence of ear infections, inferring that adding probiotics to artificial baby formula may reduce incidence of ear infections was a stretch. Besides probiotics breast milk contains antibodies against many bugs and other compounds with antibacterial and antiviral properties, most likely responsible for this particular health benefit of breast milk.Sergei Shushunov, MD

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About Sergei Shushunov, MD

Sergei Shushunov MD, is a critical care pediatrician also trained in medical acupuncture and pharmacognosy. Sergei held academic appointments at Universities of Kansas and Illinois. During the past few years he has been working on new Therapeutic Temperature Management System for body temperature control. Sergei developed and patented several natural remedies for children's most common condition such as colic, diarrhea, earache etc. He has a company which manufactures children's products under the brand name "4healthykids".

Sergei's interestsinclude hunting, sailing, literature, theater, art galleries, kayaking. His love for hunting and sailing took him to the most unusual and remote destinations on several continents. Sergei is not a trophy hunter and he looks at hunting as an opportunity to experience different cultures.

He tries to visit art galleries in every city he travels to. He goes to theaters often, relying on his wife's exceptional ability to pick good productions

Sergei's most favorite physical activity is kayaking on lake Michigan.